If you think you paid a bit too much to watch Wayne Rooney being scythed down by Bayern Munich, or that your monthly bill for first run films and Premiership football is disturbingly high, then you will be pleased to know that Ofcom is on your side. The converged communications regulator has ruled that Sky charges rivals like Virgin Media too much for its sports channels and some movies. This is a really significant moment, since it not only challenges the might of Sky but also recognises that market intervention around cultural goods is sometimes both desirable and necessary. While the overall effect of the ruling is likely to be marginal – and fiercely contested through judicial review – it is a part of Ofcom's broader regulatory work in the complex markets of telecommunications, media and connectivity which deserves applause. Ofcom is required to wade into the unglamorous and deeply difficult world of broadband speeds, spectrum allocation, mobile termination rates and television advertising sales arrangements. It is under fire from the Conservative party which says it will reduce its size and powers by "a huge amount". It has sometimes veered into policymaking misadventures. But its engagement and rigour in detailed and difficult areas and its ability to think not just about consumers but also about citizens – treating the importance of media plurality and access to communications networks as a civic right – have impressed even those who were Ofcom-sceptic back at its inception.